ITEM:

INFORMATIONAL ITEMS/STAFF REPORTS

 

27.

WATER CONSERVATION PROGRAM REPORT FOR DECEMBER 2008

 

Meeting Date:

January 29, 2009

Budgeted: 

N/A

 

From:

Darby Fuerst,

Program/

N/A

 

General Manager

Line Item No.:

 

 

 

Prepared By:

Michael Boles

Cost Estimate:

N/A

 

General Counsel Approval: N/A

Committee Recommendation: N/A

CEQA Compliance:  Exempt

 

 

I.       MANDATORY WATER CONSERVATION RETROFIT PROGRAM

 

The District continued to carry out District Regulation XIV, which requires the retrofit of water fixtures to ultra-low flow (ULF) 1.6 gallons-per-flush toilets, 2.5 gallons-per-minute showerheads and 2.2 gallons-per-minute when properties transfer ownership.  Property owners are required to certify the property has the ULF fixtures by submitting a Water Conservation Certification form (WCC). 

 

A.     Certification

The District received 56 WCC forms between December 1, 2008 and December 31, 2008.  Data on property ownership, transfer date, and status of conservation requirements from those forms were entered into the conservation database.

 

B.     Verification

In the month of December, 123 inspections were performed. The District completed 38 inspections of properties changing ownership, and 32 (84%) were in compliance.  None of the properties that passed inspection required more than one visit to verify compliance with all conservation requirements.  The District also verified the replacement of 58 toilets resulting from water permit conditions of approval.

 

C.     Changes of Ownership

Information is obtained weekly from RealQuest.Com on properties transferring ownership within the District.  The information is entered into the database and compared against the properties that have submitted WCCs. Properties not in compliance with District law are then identified.  Information on 76 property transfers that occurred in the month of December was entered into the database.  

 

  1. Savings Estimate

Water savings from retrofits (triggered by changes in ownership) verified in December is estimated at 0.161 acre-feet.   Year-to-date total estimated savings is 4.048 acre-feet.

 

 

  1. Water Waste Response

There was one water waste complaint reported by the public, and staff made several verbal contacts in the field after observing water waste conditions. A letter was sent as a follow up to the water waste.

 

II.                WATER DEMAND MANAGEMENT

 

A.     Permit Processing

District staff processed and issued 98 water permits in the month of December.  Two permits were issued for other water entitlements (Macomber, Pebble Beach Company, Griffin Estates, Quail Meadows, etc).  The remainder of the permits issued did not involve a debit to a jurisdiction’s allocation or were debited from a public water allocation.  District Rule 23 requires a water permit application for all properties that propose to expand water demand on a site, including new construction and remodels.

 

District Rule 24-3-A allows the addition of a second bathroom to an existing single family dwelling on a single-family residential site. Of the 98 water permits issued in December, Four were issued under this provision.

 

B.     Permit Compliance

District staff completed 79 water permit final inspections in December. Eighteen of the final inspections failed due to unpermitted fixtures, and two failed for not having low-flow fixtures in place as required by the permit. Of the 59 properties that were in compliance, 59 passed on the first visit. In addition, six properties required pre-inspections in response to Water Permit Applications received by the District.

 

C.     Deed Restrictions

District staff prepares documents that are recorded on the property title to enforce District Rules and Regulations, enforce permit conditions and allow public access to water records.  In March 2001, the District Board of Directors adopted a policy regarding the processing of these documents.  Specifically, an extensive quality control process was put into place and the District is now responsible for thoroughly reviewing and recording these documents.  In the month of December, the District prepared 30 documents.  Of the 98 permits that were issued in December, 27 (28%) required deed restrictions.  District staff provided deed restriction Notary services for 36 water permit applicants.       

 

III.             JOINT MPWMD/CAW REBATE PROGRAM

 

In January 1997, the District enacted a program that offers refunds of up to $100 for older residential toilets replaced with ultra-low flow models.  The program was expanded in 1998 to provide rebates for voluntary non-residential toilet retrofits.  It was expanded again in 2003 to provide rebates for ultra-low consumption appliances and cisterns.  In September 2007, the refund amount for water savings appliances was increased from $100 to $150 for High Efficiency Toilets, point of source on demand hot water, and 28 gallon washing machines; $125 for ultra water saving dishwashers and $200 for 18 gallon washing machines and instant access hot water systems. Water saved through this program is set aside to reduce community water use.

 

 

 

Participation in the rebate program is detailed in the following chart:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REBATE PROGRAM SUMMARY

December-2008

2008 YTD Total

Total-to-Date (January 1997 - Present)

I

Application Summary

 

 

 

 

 

A.

Applications Received

99

1221

7468

 

B.

Applications Approved

68

982

5848

 

C.

Single Family Applications

99

1187

6861

 

D.

Multi-Family Applications

0

20

440

 

E.

Non-Residential Applications

0

14

140

II

Types of Fixtures Rebated

Total Per Item

 

 

 

A.

Single Family Toilet

7

698.81

120

4839

 

B.

SFD-HET

8

1,200.00

167

334

 

C.

Multi-Family Toilet

0

0.00

12

1888

 

D.

Multi-Family HET

0

0.00

8

8

 

E.

Non-Residential - Toilet

0

0.00

14

714

 

F.

Non-Residential - HET

0

0.00

81

106

 

G.

SFD ULF Dishwasher

11

1,375.00

156

543

 

H.

MFD ULF Dishwasher

0

0.00

5

5

 

I.

Non-Residential 18-gallon WM

0

0.00

2

588

 

J.

SFD ULF 18-gallon Washing Machine

41

8,200.00

484

1095

 

K.

MFD ULF 18-gallon Washing Machine

0

0.00

4

4

 

L.

SFD ULF 28-gallon Washing Machine

3

450.00

19

19

 

M.

MFD ULF 28-gallon Washing Machine

0

0.00

1

1

 

N.

Smart Controllers

2

360.00

3

5

 

O.

Zero Water Using Urinals

0

0.00

41

113

 

P.

Instant Access Hot Water Systems

0

0.00

27

43

 

Q.

On Demand Hot Water-Point of Source

0

0.00

2

2

 

R.

Cisterns

1

750.00

6

13

III

Total Dollars Rebated

 

$13,033.81

$190,153.98

$1,075,858.01

IV

Estimated Water Savings in Acre-Feet Annually*

1.883

 

19.115

211.776

* Retrofit savings are estimated at 0.023 AF/toilet, 0.003 AF/dishwasher, 0.015 AF washer; 0.03 AF.HET

 

 

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